When it comes to slashers, films can be a hit or a miss. In the case of Invitation Only, a slasher film from Taiwan released in 2009, it could go both ways.

Wade (Ray Chang) is the private driver of a wealthy entrepreneur. When he witnesses his boss committing an act of adultery, Wade is randomly rewarded with an invitation to an exclusive party for the high society of the country. To go unnoticed, his boss accommodates him with everything he needs so that he can go and pretend to be one of the millionaires. Once inside the event, Wade is asked to answer one simple question: what is your fulfilling wish. Just when Wade thinks his luck is about to change, he’ll suddenly realize he’s been wandering at the wrong places at the wrong time. Like any desire, there is always a price to pay, and the cost is high when it comes to giving your life for what you lust most in the material world.

Released in a time when Friday The 13th was doing a reboot, Rob Zombie experimented with Halloween II and supernatural/paranormal horror was dominating and probably tiring moviegoers, Invitation Only might have passed inadvertently by some. But it’s still something worthy to give a try.

The plot is not complicated, but it is somewhat complex to digest by presenting an uncomfortable situation for all the characters when dealing with themes such as classism and abuse of power. These could present an ethical shock to some viewers if the film’s proposal goes against their ideals. But, comparing it to a movie like 2020’s The Hunt, the story underlined by Invitation Only might seem like a low-ambitious precursor to the aforementioned.

The main characters carry more weight than the secondary ones, who are casually presented as mere pawns in a grand chess game– anyone can be discarded for the purpose of fulfilling the killer’s agenda, just like in any slasher. In other words, the formula stays consistent, throwing in twists and increasing suspense as it progresses. The gore exceeds expectations by having it from beginning to end in a gradual release. There are some scenes where it lacks to deliver or just goes halfway to committing itself to paint it red, but once it starts to show its true colors, it goes on a rampage that stops until the last body drops.

Invitation Only blasts the screen with gore and turns against every social standard to write in bold letters: anyone is messed up enough to go to extremes to get what they want.

8 OUT OF 10 MASKS